ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12897, 31 August 1907, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

MEAT PRESERVERS' DISPUTE.

The sitting of the Arbitration Court was resumed yesterday before his Honour Mr Justice Sim (President), Messrs S. Brown and R. Slater. Christchurch Meat Preservers' Industrial Union of Workers v. tho employers. Tho disputo was heard in sections, tho curing department being taken first, and the meat-preserving department later. Three bacon-curing companies were represented. Mr Green, of Green and Co., raised a preliminary objection that several bacon-curing firms carrying on business at Ashburton, Temuka, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, and Christchurch had not been cited. Mr Thorn said that the Union could arrange to join them at a future time. The employers cited were the four principal firms in tho business. Mr Murray said that all tho firms not cited were competing with those which had been cited.

His Honour said that there was a real difficulty. It was not a question of joining one or two employers later on, but singling four employers out of a largo number. Mr Thorn said that ho had no personal knowledge of wlty this was done. Prohabiy the outside* firms were in such a small way of business that tho men overlooked them altogether. His Honour said that the Union had better adjourn tho case to join tho other parties, or start at tho.beginning again. The Court could not go on when oil theso firms wero not represented.

After further discussion Mr Thorn withdrew tho claims of tho Union in regard to the curing employees. Tim meat preservers' disputo was then taken, Mr Thorn appearing for tho Union, Mr Waymouth for tho, Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, and Mr Murray for tho Christchurch Meat Conrvmy.

Mr Thorn Raid that at a conference an agreement had been come to in regard to holidays, general conditions, and tho usual preference clause. Tho Union asked for an eight-hours' day, to bo worked between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., any timo worked outside those hours to bo paid for at overtime rates. The following rates wero submitted as tho minimum wages asked for: —Boners, seamers, extract makers, and second preservers, Is 4Jd per hour; fillers, sealers, preservers' assistants, packing-room hands, and salt-room hands. Is 3d; capping machine hands, 1b 4J,d; jnkermon and press hands, Is 4}d; trimmers, capping, and general labourers, Is l}d. Proportion of boys to men to bo one boy for tho first three men or less number; for more than three and up to six, two boys. Wages for hoys to bo £1 from 14 to 16, and £1 10s from 16 to 18. Ovortimo to be paid at the rate of time and a quarter right through. Further demands were that the employers should provide lavatory and dining rooms, and that the men should ho allowed ten minutes' smoke oh at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. His Honour pointed out that under tho Gisborno award there were only three classifications, viz., boners 8s 6d, tinshop hands Bs, and other workmen 7s 6d.

Mr Murray said tho award marlo « proper classification, and tho employers wero prepared to accept the rates mentioned.

Mr Thorn thought that second pr«servers should bo put into a separate classification. Th© Union did not feel inclined to accept the Gisborno rates, as tho men there hod csked for considerably more than the Court awarded. The wages now paid varied from IOJd to Is per hour. W. Stratin, second preserver at the Christchurch Meat Company's works, stated that ho wis paid at the rate or Is per hour. Tho work was important, and could not be done by an unskilled hand. In Australia ho had been piid 10s per day. and com« second preservers wero paid £3 10s per week.

James Nottingham, boner for the Christchurch Meat Company, said that his work required the exorcise of considerable skill. He was paid at the rato of Is per hour.

In reply to Mr Murray, witnew stated that Tie sometimes worked under i piore-work system. Under the system 2s 3d was ollowed for bonin,g good cattle for preserving, and 1b Gd for other cattle. Ho could earn about. 13_ per day on this sort of piece work.

J. T-Tmvley, honor, said that ho was P .1 10 jd per hour by tho Christchurch M.ct Conip. ny. Ho did exactly the Mime work, in class and quantity, as the previous witness. He could not account for the distinction made in their wage:*. Hn hod earned moro than I'Js for ei.ght horns' work under the piece system.

Aillinr Carov, filler, said tint ho was mid IOJd per hour by tho Christchurch -Meat Company. Ho had worked as much as fourteen or fifteen hours a day, but was not paid overtimo rates. ITcnry Foliar, packer for the Christchurch Mc; . Company, said that he ivns raid lOJrl per hour. Ho had laborious work, and worked long hours. Overtime was paid for at ordinary rites.

Janies Moir, preservers' assistant, s »id that he. was p.iid IOJd per hour He sometimes ■worked very long stretches, with no increased rate for overtime.

.K. Potts, sorting house hand, employe! .it IOJd per"Jiour, and J. Stiir, jokerman, who receives Hid, also Rave evidence. They deposed that their work was laborious, and that long hours wore worked.

This closed tho caso for the Union. Mr Waymouth called R, W. Cinldwell, chief preserver for the Canterbury Frozen Moat Company at Belfast, who said that he did not regard preserving as laborious work. Tho men ai Belfast wero quite satisfied with present conditions. They wero not keen about overtime, though in a rpc. Nt instance they had asked for it. Boning was done by contract at 10s to lis per 100; the rest of the workers were paid 10J<1 per hour. Three boys under 18 were employed, and paid 5s per day. Very little overtime. was worked at Belfast.

To Mr Thorn : A second preserver, who knew his business, was worth more th::ii 8s nor day.

W. Powell, foreman preserver at Islington, said thut the classification piO]K>sed by the Union would be unworkable. The greater part of the preserving work was light work. Th« men were employed very regularly all the year round. Only two or three skilled men were required to work the departments, viz., head and seconrt preserver, extract maker, and head tinsmith. The second preserver was paid Is per hour, including holidays. Tho witness Swarm was second preserver's assistant.

N. L. Mcßeth, secretary of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, gave evidence that the export trade in preserved goods was in a very poor state.

Addressing the Court, Mr "Waymouth said that the condition of the industry did not warrant any increase in wages. He objected to a compulsory a'!owanc*« for smoke oh. as it would seriously interfere with tho running of the works. In regard to the hours of labour, inwas <piite satisfied with the proposal of the Union.

Mr Murray objected to the hour" proposed, and su.i;je_ed that the hours worked should be any out cf the 24.

.Mr Thorn pointed our that the employers had already offend to (.yye an increase, by supporting the Gisborn* award. The industry could not be in £uth a bad way. Mr Munay: That was the goodness of our hearts. J _s;i-:oii was reserved, and the Court rose.